Petula Clark coming to downtown Brum

Music legend to play Birmingham Town Hall

Music legend Petula Clark is hitting the road for the first time in five years - and is to play Birmingham Town Hall on Monday, October 7, 2013.

In an incredible career spanning over seven decades, Petula Clark is a true international superstar. She cut her first record in 1949 and has subsequently become one of the best selling British female artists in recording history, selling over 68 million records worldwide.

Petula releases her album on Monday, February 25, featuring a mix of new songs and covers with her own unique slant. Following the album announcement a full UK tour has been confirmed for October.

The lead track from her new album ‘Cut Copy Me’ is a contemporary surprise, while the title track ‘Lost In You’ reverberates around a simple, yet beautiful piano refrain. Another new track is ‘Next To You’; its haunting sound comprehensible as it was co-written with Simon Wilcox, who wrote ‘Northern Lights’ for ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn’ soundtrack. The album also features some unique cover versions, including a whole re-imagining of her signature hit ‘Downtown’, a beautiful version of the Gnarls Barkley hit ‘Crazy’ and a touching rendition of her friend Elvis Presley’s ‘Love Me Tender’.

Petula won her first Grammy in 1964 with ‘Downtown’ for ‘Best Rock n Roll Record’ (Downtown hit No.1 in the US selling over three million copies) and won her second Grammy the following year, 1965, for ‘Best Female Vocal Performance’. One of the key players in ‘the British Invasion’ she scored 15 consecutive US top forty hits.

John Lennon cited her as one of his favourite singers, which makes her new take on ‘Imagine’, also featured here on this new studio album, all the more poignant. He also asked her to join in his live recording of the single ‘Give Peace A Chance’ (she can been seen in the classic video-clip filmed in Montreal hotel room during the legendary event). She has also worked with Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Serge Gainsbourg, Tom Jones, The Carpenters, Frank Sinatra, Paolo Nutini, Barbra Streisand and countless other stars. Petula has also starred in more than 30 motion pictures, including ‘Finian’s Rainbow’ where she starred opposite Fred Astaire (and was nominated for a Golden Globe) and 1970’s ‘Goodbye Mr Chips’, where she starred opposite Peter O’Toole.

Entertaining the troops during World War II both on radio and in concert Petula was described as having ‘a voice as sweet as chapel bells’. Throughout this album that same angelic vocal quality continues to be prevalent and she has never sounded so young.

The An Evening with Petula Clark tour starts on October 2nd and includes a date at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane.